Autism Research in Rhode Island

According to the National Institutes of Health, funding allocated to autism research is on the rise nation-wide. It has consistently increased every year since 2010 at least; and in 2014 is projected to reach an all-time high of $192 million.

Rhode Island in particular has been at the forefront of autism research and advocacy in recent years. From the formation of the Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment (RI-CART) in 2009, to the establishment of a statewide registry of children and adults with autism in 2013, to the creation of a new state license plate to help raise autism awareness slated for 2014, Rhode Island is fast becoming a leader in autism-related causes.

Now a team at Brown University in Providence is creating a sophisticated computerized tool for the acoustic analysis of babies' cries as a non-invasive early warning system that may provide clues as to whether infants are at risk of developing autism.

The researchers, including Harvey Silverman, a professor of engineering, and Barry Lester, a specialist in baby sounds, hope that the project could soon be in hospitals around the country, and that their work could also lead to the development of easily accessible application that new parents could use.

The system is already in use at Women & Infants Hospital, in Providence, Rhode Island, and has produced some strong results so far.

For more information about this research, visit the Brown University website.

For more information about autism services in Rhode Island, visit Perspectives Corporation's Autism Center of Excellence.

Perspectives Corporation is a proud member of the Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment.

Raising Autism Awareness in Rhode Island in 2014

In case you missed the news last year, in June, 2013, Governor Lincoln Chaffee signed a resolution to create a special joint commission whose purpose is to "make a comprehensive study to improve the quality of life and create positive outcomes for individuals with Autism in Rhode Island."

The 23-member commission will have their first meeting today, Thursday, January 9, 2014, at the State House.

In other news, Senator Adam J. Satchell, of West Warwick, proposed a bill last year - in support of the Autism Project of Rhode Island - authorizing the creation of a special license plate to help raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder in the State.

The creative composition of the license plate was open to the public, offering local artists and graphic designers a chance to compete for the chosen design. The submission deadline passed last week, January 1. Submissions are currently being reviewed.

For more information on the Rhode Island Autism License Plate, you can visit their Facebook page.

For more updates on the efforts to raise autism awareness in Rhode Island, check out our Facebook page, and stay tuned to our blog for further developments.